A 26-year-old woman who worked as a server at the IHOP in Glen Carbon was interviewed by the Belleville News-Democrat in March and had this to say:

They would follow us into the walk-in (cooler) when we went in there to get some produce to stock and they would pin us against the wall and touch us,” she said. “It was really scary.”

The lawsuit was filed in September 2017 (Equal Employment Opportunity Commis­sion et al. v. 2098 Restaurant Group, LLC et al., Civil Action No. 3:17-cv-1002-DRH) in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, seeking relief for more than 11 female employ­ees at the Glen Carbon IHOP and one male employee at the Alton IHOP. Some of the female employees were teenagers at the time of the alleged harassment.

The consent decree settling the suit, entered by Judge David R. Herndon, requires the defendants to pay compensatory damages to 16 harassment victims. The decree also requires the com­panies to implement, distribute and enforce tougher policies prohibiting sexual harassment and establish procedures for promptly investigating and addressing sexual harassment complaints.

The decree also requires the owner to be directly involved in preventing and correcting sexual harassment. The four-year decree further requires the defendants to provide sexual harassment training to employees, create and maintain documents regarding sexual harassment complaints, and post notices at their facilities. It also enables the EEOC to monitor the restaurants to determine whether harassment recurs, and, if so, that it is dealt with effectively. All the measures are intended to prevent further incidents of harassment.

“Employers are responsible for preventing workplace harassment – and their failure to do so hurts both their employees and their bottom line,” said Andrea G. Baran, regional attorney for the EEOC’s St. Louis District. “Business owners and CEOs must be proactive and involved in making sure all managers and employees understand that harassment will not be tolerated, harassers will be punished, and those who report harassment will be protected from retaliation. Prevention starts at the top.”

James R. Neely, Jr., director of the EEOC’s St. Louis District, said,

“The EEOC is committed to preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. But when harassment does occur, we encourage affected employees – whether victims or bystanders – to report the harassment to their employers and, if necessary, to the EEOC to ensure the unlawful conduct does not continue.”

Preventing workplace harassment through systemic litigation and investigation is one of the six national priorities identified by the Commission’s Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP).

The EEOC’s Youth@Work website (at https://www.eeoc.gov/youth/ ) presents information for teens and other young workers about employment discrimination, including curriculum guides for students and teachers and videos to help young workers learn about their rights and responsibilities.

Jones Brown Law – Employment Law Attorneys

Whether you are entering the job market for the first time or were recently terminated, it is important to understand your rights as a worker. Both federal and state governments have enacted a wide range of employment laws protecting employees from discriminatory treatment, unfair labor practices, unsafe work conditions, and more. Employment law governs the rights and responsibilities between employers and employees. Most of the laws and statutes that fall under employment law are meant to protect the employee from unfair and unsafe working conditions, but they also help to protect employers.

Working environments can be chaotic and complex. The law offices of Jones Brown wants to make sure you are aware of your rights as an employee or employer. If you feel you have been wrongfully treated at work or on a job, our experienced attorneys know exactly what to do. CLICK HERE to contact a Jones Brown Employment Law Attorney NOW!

Share Page

About the Author

Brian Williams is Jones Brown PLLC's Jack of all Trades. He not only writes our blogs, but he also designs and maintains our websites and social media accounts. bwilliams@jonesbrownlaw.com

Locations

Contact Us

Connect With Us

Unless otherwise indicated, lawyers listed on this website are not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. A past performance or prior result is no guarantee of a similar future result in another case or matter. Jones Brown, PLLC is responsible for the content of this website. Jones Brown, PLLC is an Oklahoma limited liability company.